2013 NBA Mock Draft: Very Early First Round Predictions

The 2012 NBA Draft class comes into their first season with some of the highest expectations in years. Can the 2013 class possibly live up to similar hype?

The incoming NCAA freshmen class adds to an already talented group of potential draftees. How will it all shake up come next June? Sleepers will rise, stars will falter, and there is probably a player we don't even consider a 1st round selection who will make it into the lottery (see Damian Lillard from the 2012 Draft).

For now, let's take a look at a very early first round mock draft for 2013.

Note: For simplicity's sake, I will be using the final 2011-2012 standings to judge the selection order. However, I have included all of the outstanding trades that might shift the 2013 order around.

1. Charlotte Bobcats: Nerlens Noel

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Position: C

Physicals: 6'11", 215 pounds

School: Kentucky

Year: Freshman

I want to put Shabazz Muhammad here at the top pick, because I think by next June he will be considered the top selection. However, since Charlotte just used a pick on Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (who is a very similar type player to Muhammad), I'll give the Bobcats Noel here.

The good for Noel—he's a lot like Anthony Davis from last season. He's a great leaper and a terrifying defender. He knows how to get up there and block shots with the best of them. His potential is incredible if he pans out.

The bad news—Noel might be a little over-hyped, especially offensively. While he is a great defender, he's still raw when it comes to scoring. We'll see how he handles the ball at Kentucky before we crown him the top pick.

Note:The Bobcats first-round selection will go to Chicago if it is pick 12 or lower due to the Tyrus Thomas trade in 2010. If the pick is 11 or higher, Charlotte will keep the pick.

2. Washington Wizards: Shabazz Muhammad

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Position: SG/SF

Physicals: 6'7", 220 pounds

School: UCLA

Year: Freshman

Muhammad may be the draft's best player when it is all said and done. He's like the second coming of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and if he can add a jump shot to his already impressive game, he'll be hard to stop.

Super athletic and possessing an unrivaled work ethic, I expect Muhammad will destroy the PAC 12 next season and will secure his place at the top of the draft boards.

He is a bit shorter than you'd like for a small forward (some measurements have him at just 6'6") but he's quick and strong enough to keep up with nearly any player.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Alex Poythress

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Position: SF/PF

Physicals: 6'8", 215 pounds

School: Kentucky

Year: Freshman

Poythress would be a star in his own right if he wasn't so surrounded by star talent at Kentucky this season. With Nerlens Noel on one end and Archie Goodwin on the other, he won't get as many touches as he should (not that any of them would).

That said, he is an excellent prospect with a great all-around feel to the game. He's an improving inside scorer but possesses a soft touch on the outside. He's one of the more versatile prospects in the draft.

He needs to prove he can score from anywhere this season, but his all-around prospects are very promising.

4. New Orleans Hornets: Cody Zeller

Can you imagine paring Anthony Davis and Cody Zeller on the same NBA team? It would instantly make one of the more dangerous inside combos in the league.

Where Davis dominated the defensive end last season, Zeller dominated offensively, scoring 15.6 points and shooting an absurd 62.3 percent from the field. He's still only 19 and has plenty of room to grow, but he's dangerous from the inside and the outside.

He's far too skinny for a NBA center and he needs to bulk up a ton this season. He also isn't as good defensively as he is offensively, but he's a very smart player and I expect he'll improve.

For someone who had such a great freshman season, Zeller is still very raw. He could be a beast as he grows.

5. Sacramento Kings: Tony Mitchell

This may seem high for Mitchell, but I predict he'll have a breakout year this season and cement himself as a top lottery talent.

He's got everything you'd want in a wingman—a bounce in his step, excellent defensive fundamentals and range out to the three-point line. He also averaged 3.0 blocks per game in his lone season in North Texas.

The fact that he is from a small school could hurt him, but he has the talent to go this high.

7. Golden State Warriors: Isaiah Austin

Like most freshmen big men, Austin needs to add considerable muscle before he can thrive in the NBA. That said, he's a skilled big man with a great motor.

Right now he's better as a defender than as a scorer, but he has great hands and a good feel for the game. He possesses a solid jump shot, but needs to improve his lost post scoring. He's got the size and the athleticism to be a nice scorer once he adds some post moves.

Baylor moved from having a skilled star with no motor (Perry Jones) to a more raw star with a great motor. I think that's a fair trade.

11. Portland Trail Blazers: Rudy Gobert

Gobert is easily the top foreign player in the draft. At 7'0' with a crazy 7'9" wingspan, he makes an interesting prospect on both ends of the court.

He's got a tough attitude on the court and loves to dunk and with his wingspan and solid athleticism he gets plenty. He's also a tough rebounder and (surprise surprise, with that reach of his) an excellent shot-blocker.

13. Phoenix Suns: C.J. Leslie

A power forward with solid post abilities and a nice range on his game, Leslie and his Wolfpack could easily surprise the NCAA this year and be the breakout team of the season.

He's an inconsistent prospect at this point, capable of both putting up monster numbers or no numbers at all. When he's on, though, he's on, and able to dominate every aspect of a game. Hopefully for State fans, he can keep it going all season.

15. Miami Heat (from Philadelphia 76ers): Steven Adams

The Heat could stand to wait on the exceptional potential of Adams, a big man with a great motor but who will inevitably come into the NBA incredibly raw.

He's a tough player and already a good rebounder, but he has no offensive game to speak of. Unless he shows some new and surprising post moves this season at Pittsburgh, he's at least two-three years away from being an impact player.

16. New York Knicks: B.J. Young

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Position: SG

Physicals: 6'2", 175 pounds

School: Arkansas

Year: Sophomore

A lightning quick scoring guard that possesses deadly range, B.J. Young is another candidate for break out player of the year. Last season he averaged 15.3 points on 50.4 percent shooting and 41.3 percent shooting from three.

He's far too skinny to stand up to most NBA guards and needs to continue to add muscle. He may be just ab it too small to be a shooting guard in the big leagues, but he really lacks the playmaking ability to be a point guard (he finished with a 1/1 assist to turnover ratio).

17. Dallas Mavericks: P.J. Hairston

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Position: SG

Physicals: 6'5", 210 pounds

School: North Carolina

Year: Sophomore

Much like teammate James McAdoo, Hairston will see a big spike in production this year.

He's a solid scorer with a high basketball IQ. He needs to be far more efficient this season shooting the ball (he shot just 30.8 percent from the floor last year) but he has the skills to be a solid NBA scorer.

Note:The Mavericks first-round selection will go to Houston through the Los Angeles Lakers if it is pick 20 or lower due to the Jordan Hill trade. If the pick is 19 or higher, Dallas will keep the pick.

21. Boston Celtics: Joshua Smith

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Position: C

Physicals: 6'9", 280 pounds

School: UCLA

Year: Sophomore

The bruising big man has a ton of potential but doesn't seem to have the motor to tap into it. He has an unbelievable advantage against nearly all defenders inside, but didn't take full advantage of it last season and failed to impress.

Still there are some things to like. He does have some offensive game, and he's a good rebounder. Hopefully he gets in better shape and learns to try hard on every play.

22. Los Angeles Clippers: Reggie Bullock

While both James McAdoo and P.J. Hairston will have big years, they may not have as much breakout potential as Reggie Bullock.

Bullock has lower expectations but may be nearly as skilled as his other two teammates. He's a good shooter, an excellent defender and has NBA level athleticism. I think he'll end up being a NBA steal to whichever team drafts him next summer.

23. Atlanta Hawks: Andre Roberson

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Position: PF

Physicals: 6'8", 210 pounds

School: Colorado

Year: Sophomore

Roberson was a monster on the defensive end last season for Colorado, leading the team in steals (1.2), blocks (1.9) and rebounds (11.1). The main concern about the athletic big man is his offense. He wasn't any serious part of their offense last year (he averaged just 11.6 points per game) and he'll need to prove his scoring skills this year before he locks himself in as a first-round pick.

24. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Los Angeles Lakers): Otto Porter

Georgetown had a better year than expected last season, and a good amount of the credit goes to Otto Porter, who showed right off the bat why he was a top 10 recruit.

He's not a dominant athlete, more fluid than explosive, but he is a good defender and a great shooter—except from the three-point line. Inside the arc, he's great—from outside, he shot just 22.6 percent. At least he knows what he must improve next season.

25. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Memphis Grizzlies): Mike Moser

Moser could have contended for a lottery selection this year but returned to a UNLV team that added a bunch of nice talent.

He has all the talents for a good big man. He's comfortable around the basket, he's a tough and strong rebounder and he can defend most opponents. He also possesses excellent range for his position and can hit consistently from the outside.

26. Indiana Pacers: Michael Carter-Williams

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Position: PG

Physicals: 6'5", 175 pounds

School: Syracuse

Year: Sophomore

The Syracuse point guard will be trust into the limelight this season as the Oranges' starting point. He played only ten minutes a game last season, but had impressive numbers considering. He averaged a 2.1/.6 assist-to-turnover ratio.

He's got solid range on his jumper and will keep most defenders honest, but he needs to prove he can play tough defense. He's certainly not strong enough to handle NBA players yet, and he lacks the elite athleticism to negate a lack of muscle.

Blackshear was hurt most of last season and was limited to just seven minutes a contest. That isn't a fair representation of his talent level.

He'll get a good shot to prove it this year and Louisville has the talent to be a top ten school. He has a solid jump shot, but is fairly inconsistent and needs to add more range. He's a tough competitor who isn't afraid to attack the paint.

28. Oklahoma City Thunder: Deshaun Thomas

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Position: SF/PF

Physicals: 6'7", 220 pounds

School: Ohio State

Year: Sophomore

Last years' NCAA tournament was a coming out party for Deshaun Thomas, who took advantage of the defenses when they zoned in on then-teammate Jared Sullinger. He's got toughness and swagger that most players don't have, and even on bigger players he's already shown an ability to attack the basket.

He will be held back by both his lack of size and by his lack of super athleticism. Will he be a three or a four in the NBA? It's hard to tell, but he'll certainly make an impact.

29. Chicago Bulls: Gorgui Dieng

Dieng may be the most skilled center in the NCAA at the moment. He doesn't have the potential of many of the centers higher up on this list, but he's more NBA ready.

He's strong and big enough to power over most players but in the last two years he's really worked on his post-game. He averaged 3.2 blocks per game last year, and possesses a 7'4" wingspan so he's a nightmare for opponents in the paint.

30. San Antonio Spurs: Ryan Harrow

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Position: PG

Physicals: 5'11", 155 pounds

School: Kentucky

Year: Sophomore

Harrow played a year at North Carolina State before deciding to transfer to Kentucky. He's viewed as the probable starter for the Wildcats, and there isn't a better place for point guards to show their stuff than in Lexington.

He'll be surrounded by all the freshmen weapons and will hopefully be able to showcase his passing skills. The questions for Harrow are mainly on defense. He's quick enough to guard most players, but his size will be a pressing issue.